PSA - Charge the Emergency Start

[Dirtyeggroll]

*Edit* - after reviewing the instructions and trying again later at home, the emergency jump pack DID have enough charge. I just had to override the safety features because the battery was too low to detect.**
 

About 2 years ago I bought a NOCO GB50 emergency starter. Most of the time I’ve got enough electronics/starting battery to last me a minimum of two hard days of fishing. 
 

Well… recently did some electronics upgrades and haven’t taken the old stuff off so got about twice as much juice being pulled. Fished yesterday for about 6 hours and forgot to plug the charger in when I got home. Been on vacation so got to go out again today. It crossed my mind more than once that I might get low on starting battery. Really didn’t bother me since I was going to a small lake where there is no wake. Sure enough I ran that battery dry, not even a click turning the key. It was a windy day and I wanted to get to the other side of the lake a bit quicker, so I pulled out the GB50 - low battery. Fortunately I just trolled around. It was a bit tricky to load the boat without the big motor on a steep ramp in the wind, but got it figured out.

 

Turns out those emergency starters need to be charged about every 18 months. I’ll probably make it part of my spring and late fall routine to charge.

 

[gim]

12 minutes ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Turns out those emergency starters need to be charged about every 18 months. I’ll probably make it part of my spring and late fall routine to charge.

I just got one for xmas in December.  I intend to charge mine every 6 months.  But mine lives in a "cold" upper midwest climate half the year too.  I use it for my boat and my truck, if necessary.

[airshot]

Lucky you figured it out....I run one battery dedicated to the main engine and another deep cycle dedicated to the electronics only, finally a pair of dedicated trolling motor batteries.  Then I carry a set of jumper cables, if any start or house battery fails.  No need for an energency pack with all the batteries I have on board.   I often forget about plugging mine in when I park it back in the barn.  I did make myself a sign over the winter to remind myself to plug in when I get home....the old memory is not as sharp as it once was !!!

[gim]

5 minutes ago, airshot said:

another deep cycle dedicated to the electronics only

Why are you using a trolling motor battery for electronics?

[Dirtyeggroll]

7 minutes ago, airshot said:

Lucky you figured it out....I run one battery dedicated to the main engine and another deep cycle dedicated to the electronics only, finally a pair of dedicated trolling motor batteries.  Then I carry a set of jumper cables, if any start or house battery fails.  No need for an energency pack with all the batteries I have on board.   I often forget about plugging mine in when I park it back in the barn.  I did make myself a sign over the winter to remind myself to plug in when I get home....the old memory is not as sharp as it once was !!!

I don’t have a dedicated electronics battery - most of the time I would never have run my starter/electronics battery down.

 

I basically kept the emergency start on board in lieu of a small dedicated starter battery. IF it were charged I could probably get 15-20 starts out of it. 99% of the time, I could probably use it as my sole starting source… just gotta make sure it’s charged.

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

Why are you using a trolling motor battery for electronics?

Why not? It will run them just fine, sounds like that’s all he has hooked to it 

[Fishin Dad]

Those emergency jump packs are unreal!   I bought one as my tournament partner burned up the batteries during an event once.  He luckily had cables, but that took a while to get stuff moved and hooked up.  I bought a jump pack after that.   I used it twice this winter for my daughters car and WOW!   They are awesome.  It stays in boat all summer and truck all winter.  Way easier than jumper cables.  

[airshot]

22 hours ago, gimruis said:

Why are you using a trolling motor battery for electronics?

Deep cycle lasts much longer, along with gps is bilge pump, lights, radio both music and SS, and everything except starter.  Can run run the deep cycle down to 50% but a starting battery should not run down more than 20-30%..  

[Woody B]

I have a reminder on my phone to charge my jump boxes every 6 months.  I have a GB50 in my boat and a GB70 in my truck.  I also charge them every time I use them, which is usually more often than every 6 months.   The Noco's hold a charge really well.  I had a no name before I go them that would be dead after a few months.  

 

I haven't had to jump my boat since I went to lithium for a cranking/electronics battery.  I do occasionally jump others off on the lake, at the landing, and in various parking lots.  

 

Added: No, I'm not that phone savy.  My Grandson put the charge reminders on my phone.   

[thomas15]

12-18 months is really good. I have one of those Harbor Freight jump packs with air compressor that I keep in the car (we commute 100 miles/day). The manual instructs a recharge after every use or one a month even if not used. And it is probably twice the size of the Noco unit.

[Tatulatard]

On 4/11/2023 at 8:29 PM, airshot said:

Lucky you figured it out....I run one battery dedicated to the main engine and another deep cycle dedicated to the electronics only, finally a pair of dedicated trolling motor batteries.  Then I carry a set of jumper cables, if any start or house battery fails.  No need for an energency pack with all the batteries I have on board.   I often forget about plugging mine in when I park it back in the barn.  I did make myself a sign over the winter to remind myself to plug in when I get home....the old memory is not as sharp as it once was !!!

This.  I have had to jump my starter battery with my trolling motor batteries more than once.

On 4/11/2023 at 8:35 PM, gimruis said:

Why are you using a trolling motor battery for electronics?

So he doesn't deplete the battery used to start the outboard while fishing and leave himself stranded with trolling motor power only

 

[gim]

4 hours ago, Tatulatard said:

This.  I have had to jump my starter battery with my trolling motor batteries more than once.

So he doesn't deplete the battery used to start the outboard while fishing and leave himself stranded with trolling motor power only

 

That's not why I asked.  A deep cycle battery should only be used for trolling motors.

 

Its his boat, he can do what he wants.  I would not be using a deep cycle for anything other than the trolling motor.

[Dirtyeggroll]

34 minutes ago, gimruis said:

That's not why I asked.  A deep cycle battery should only be used for trolling motors.

 

Its his boat, he can do what he wants.  I would not be using a deep cycle for anything other than the trolling motor.

Why? What source of information tells you that?

 

I think you have bad information. A deep cycle battery is designed to handle relatively low current (amps) over a sustained period of time. Electronics draw are relatively low <100 amps continuous generally and are constantly on. A trolling motor also has a relatively low current draw.

 

Whereas a starting battery is designed to have a high short current draw (750-1500 amps).

[GaryH]

I keep a Noco gb150 in the truck great for hunting or traveling. On the boat I went with an Ionic emergency start. You wire it straight to your starting battery. Never have to worry about charging it. Whenever you hook your boat up to your charger it keeps it fully charged. Also when you’re running the big motor it will top if off when needed. The lowest I’ve ever seen it get was 99% and that was sitting all winter. 

 

[Tatulatard]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

That's not why I asked.  A deep cycle battery should only be used for trolling motors.

 

Its his boat, he can do what he wants.  I would not be using a deep cycle for anything other than the trolling motor.

An emergency use is hardly regular use.  If you found yourself with a dead outboard battery 7 miles from the ramp (been there) I would think you would have no qualms about jumping that outboard with a trolling motor battery.  I think the last thing on your mind would be "oh no thats a deep cycle I'm jumping from".  I would think your reaction would have been the same as mine "glad I brought jumpers".  

[gim]

2 hours ago, Tatulatard said:

An emergency use is hardly regular use.  If you found yourself with a dead outboard battery 7 miles from the ramp (been there) I would think you would have no qualms about jumping that outboard with a trolling motor battery.  I think the last thing on your mind would be "oh no thats a deep cycle I'm jumping from".  I would think your reaction would have been the same as mine "glad I brought jumpers".  

Completely missed the point. I would surely use a deep cycle trolling motor battery to jump my outboard should my cranking battery die. No arguing that. Or a boost pack like a noco.

 

I would not, however, use a deep cycle battery on a regular basis for anything other than my trolling motor. That is what they are designed for.

[MN Fisher]

29 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I would not, however, use a deep cycle battery on a regular basis for anything other than my trolling motor. That is what they are designed for.

I've always used a deep-cycle for non-starting applications...never seemed to give me issues doing that.

 

Current setup is a 100ah AGM deep cycle for the TM and a 35ah AGM deep cycle to run pumps, lights, sonar, my cameras and my tablet. I got a small Group 24/550cca for the Evinrude.

[Kirtley Howe]

3 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I've always used a deep-cycle for non-starting applications...never seemed to give me issues doing that.

 

Current setup is a 100ah AGM deep cycle for the TM and a 35ah AGM deep cycle to run pumps, lights, sonar, my cameras and my tablet. I got a small Group 24/550cca for the Evinrude.

They do make deep cycle marine starting batteries, and dual purpose (starting and trolling motor) deep cycle marine batteries. I have had strong advice to stay away from the dual purpose batteries, but I have also had strong advice to use a deep cycle starting battery. Anyone have thoughts on that?

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Kirtley Howe said:

Anyone have thoughts on that?

I like to keep battery functions separate...starting battery for the motor, deep cycle for everything else....quirk of mine.

[Kirtley Howe]

2 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I like to keep battery functions separate...starting battery for the motor, deep cycle for everything else....quirk of mine.

Agreed. But I use a deep cycle starting battery for starting the motor and running lights and the like. And I use a deep cycle trolling motor for everything else (fish finder, trolling motor)

 

[Dirtyeggroll]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

 

I would not, however, use a deep cycle battery on a regular basis for anything other than my trolling motor. That is what they are designed for.

that is not correct. Deep cycle batteries are designed for low amp continuous use. RV’s, car stereos etc are other common uses in addition to boat electronics. 
 

That being said, I wouldn’t recommend pulling your electronics power from the same battery that powers your trolling motor.

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

That being said, I wouldn’t recommend pulling your electronics power from the same battery that powers your trolling motor.

That's why I have 3 batteries in 'Bass Trek' - starting, TM, everything else.

[Dirtyeggroll]

1 hour ago, Kirtley Howe said:

They do make deep cycle marine starting batteries, and dual purpose (starting and trolling motor) deep cycle marine batteries. I have had strong advice to stay away from the dual purpose batteries, but I have also had strong advice to use a deep cycle starting battery. Anyone have thoughts on that?

The Duracell 31 AGM  is a dual purpose battery. It works fantastic for starting, trolling motor and electronics.

[airshot]

Dual purpose batteries are a compromise between deep cycle and a start battery.  For that reason they do both jobs well...but not as good as individual batteries designed for a particular purpose.  Just check the battery specs and compare. To get max life expectency and amp draw use a battery specific for the job at hand.